By Philip Eden

May was arguably one of the worst in living memory, and at several long-term weather stations in southern England it was the wettest on record. Heavy rain and cold winds over the late-spring bank holiday resulted in the cancellation of many outdoor events.

The mean afternoon maximum temperature ranged from 17.7°C at Heathrow airport to 10.1°C at Lerwick (Shetland), while the average night minimum varied between 10.8°C at St Maryis (Isles of Scilly) and 3.3°C at Dalwhinnie (Inverness-shire). Except in northern Scotland, monthly temperatures were slightly above the long-term average, largely thanks to frequent warm nights.

As measured by the Central England Temperature (CET) which takes into account both daytime and night-time readings, the monthis final figure of 12.0°C was 0.7°C above the average for the standard reference period 1971-2000. Over most of the UK daytime temperatures were lower than they had been during April. The last time this happened was in 1987.

The highest individual temperature recorded under standard conditions during the month of 25.7°C was at Heathrow airport on the 24th, while the monthis lowest reading was minus 5.7°C at Kinbrace (Sutherland) during the early hours of the 27th. The 28th was the coldest late-May day since 1948 with a maximum of just 6.4°C at Whipsnade (Beds).

The exceptionally dry weather of March and April continued until May 5 by which time parts of east Kent had had 38 consecutive days with no rain. Thereafter the weather was very wet: Preston Montford (Salop) recorded 79mm on the 13th, while Luton had 99mm in 48 hours on the 27th/28th. Averaged over England and Wales the monthis total of 121mm was twice the long-term average and the highest in May since 1967; in the last 100 years only three Mays were wetter.

Sunshine was plentiful around our western and northern coasts (Fair Isle, between Shetland and Orkney, had a 35 per cent excess) but there was a marked shortage in East Anglia and the East Midlands, where several places reported a 45 per cent deficit, making it the dullest May here since 1932. Averaged over England and Wales, the monthis total of 175 hours was 13 per cent below the long-term average. In the last 100 years 79 Mays were sunnier and 21 duller.

© Philip Eden